(a) Field of the Invention
This invention generally relates to a devices or system for minimizing injuries while participating in sports or other activities that may expose the human body to injuries from collisions or from movement, such as side-to-side movements while playing sports.
(b) Discussion of Known Art
The prevention of injury to ankles, as well as the treatment of injured ankles, requires the provision of pressure and support to the area around the injured ankle. There are many known devices that for this purpose. However, the amount of support provided by these devices is often compromised by the need to provide the injured individual with mobility in order to prevent the accumulation of fluids around the injured area. Thus known devices have either provided excessive structure that inhibits the mobility of the user, which in turn has detrimental effects to the recovery of the individual, or provided too little support where needed.
Examples of known devices include U.S. Pat. No. 3,867,239 to Alesi, incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, U.S. Pat. No. 5,038,762 to Hess et al., incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, U.S. Pat. No. 5,527,269 to Reithofer, U.S. Pat. No. 5,090,404 to Kallassy, U.S. Pat. No. 6,447,469 to Ritchie, incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, U.S. Pat. No. 6,093,468 to Toms et al., incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, and U.S. Pat. No. 6,447,469 to Ritchie, also incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.